Bentley Azure

Bentley To Roll Out 500-Hp Azure T Convertible at L.A. Show

Bentley's high-performance Arnage T first landed into the climate-controlled garages of well-heeled buyers back in 2002. But to the dismay of some of its clientele, no convertible version of the surprisingly quick Bentley was made available at the time. The cries of the rich and aimless have finally been answered, and those who want an open-top version of the car will soon be able to open up their fat wallets. Come next year, the Crewe, England-based automaker will introduce a revamped, twin-turbocharged version of its Azure convertible, aptly called the Azure T.

Take a closer look at the Azure T and you'll notice its striking resemblance to the recently announced Arnage Final Series edition, which during its development has taken much inspiration from the new Brooklands coupe. Flowing along the Azure T's flanks is a single character line positioned slightly underneath the chrome door handles. The line culminates above the car's bold rear haunches and lends the car a sleek effect. Designers made sure to continue the model's flowing side profile and carefully tapered the hydraulic canvas roof into the backside. As with the Arnage Final Series, sitting directly behind the front wheels are "Le Mans" vents said to aid in the cooling of the massive 16.5-in. carbon-silicon binders (which Bentley points out are the largest brakes available on any production car today). Designers continued the "T" theme up front with dark-tint grilles and the signature retractable flying- "B" mascot. A Bentley "jewel" fuel cap and twin-exhaust tips out back finalize the model's exterior appointments.While the car's commanding presence may attract many looks from passersby, it's the Azure T's powerplant that's guaranteed to make each of its four passengers smile. No changes were made to the Arnage T's signature 6.75L twin-turbo V-8 and as such, it still produces a stout 500 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque -- that's about 11% more power and 14% more torque than the standard model (450 hp, 645 lb-ft). The brute horsepower and so-called "Bentley wave of torque" send the hefty 5699-lb Azure T to 60 mph in an impressive 5.2 sec. But that's just the start of all the hairdo-hating fun. Engineers claim that, with the revised six-speed ZF gearbox, the most powerful Azure can attain a top speed of 179 mph.What about the twisties, you may ask? For starters, this is the wrong car in which to carve canyons , but to help alleviate most body roll and increase overall rigidity, craftsmen installed an additional slew of carbon fiber cross-bracing underneath the car. The composite material was employed due to its weight savings versus comparable steel units. Further strengthening of the architecture is behind rear seats where stiffer rollover protection was incorporated. Left on the car is the standard Azure's computer-controlled adaptive suspension with Electronic Stability Program. The suspension allows for the adjustment of height and dampening while on the fly. Borrowed from the Brooklands are more aggressive five-spoke 20-in. alloys wrapped in stickier Pirelli rubber.Extreme luxury is the name of the game in Crewe, and the Azure T is open to the complete customization according to an owner's desires. Step inside the special edition and buyers will find diamond-quilted seats and door panels, embroidered seatbacks with Bentley inserts, and aluminum trimmings. Specific to the driver's seat are black-faced instruments and a drilled-alloy pedal set. If the car's available 42 exterior colors, eight veneers, and 25 exclusive hides don't suffice, Bentley's Mulliner individualization shop can outfit the car with just about any "authentic materials." While coddled by supple leather, passengers can tune into an available Bentley-designated Naim Audio 1100-watt 10-speaker audio system. The setup is claimed to provide a concert-like experience -- something we don't doubt considering its eight individual Digital Signal Processor modes. An extra-large central display screen with iPod and SD Card connectivity allow for more audio source freedom.No details were provided regarding the Bentley Azure T's pricing schedule or when exactly it will be released, but don't expect to pay anything less than the standard's convertible's $338,000 MSRP. Stay tuned to MT Online for more details as the latest Bentley-bruiser makes its world debut at next week's L.A. auto show.Source: Bentley